Egypt Continues Crackdown on Groups Documenting Government Abuse

CAIRO — The Egyptian authorities pressed ahead Thursday with a case against the founders of two prominent human rights organizations, part of a crackdown on civil society organizations that have documented government abuse.

Officials have threatened to expand the prosecution of Egyptian nongovernmental organizations for more than two years; Thursday’s hearing is the latest indication that the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi intends to follow through.

In the hearing, the judge, Mohamed Shorbagi, was weighing whether to freeze the assets of Mr. Bahgat, who now works a journalist, and Mr. Eid, along with the assets of Mr. Eid’s wife and their 11-year-old daughter.

Defense lawyers argued that the hearing was premature because investigators had yet to formally present their clients with evidence of wrongdoing. Judge Shorbagi adjourned the case until next month.

The government has already barred Mr. Bahgat and Mr. Eid from leaving Egypt. In recent weeks, the authorities have also detained and threatened criminal charges against Negad al-Borai, another prominent rights advocate who was in court Thursday supporting Mr. Bahgat.

Groups that document abuses have come under intense pressure. The authorities have threatened to close the Nadeem Center, which counsels victims of torture, and called for the interrogation of the director of a leading women’s advocacy group, Nazra for Feminist Studies.

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Hossam Bahgat in his office at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights in Cairo in 2011.CreditSarah Rafea/Associated Press

When the investigation into foreign nonprofit groups started in 2011, the Egyptian authorities charged American and German groups with receiving foreign funding in violation of Egyptian law. The government has threatened for more than two years to bring similar charges against Egyptian groups that rely at least in part on financial contributions from international foundations and agencies.

The government’s effort has also underscored the persistent view in Egypt’s ruling circles that domestic civil society groups are little more than a front for foreign governments seeking to undermine the country’s stability.

In a television interview in late January, Ahmed el-Zend, who until recently was justice minister, said that nongovernmental groups were using funds from the United States and other countries as part of a conspiracy against Egypt and vowed that the authorities would take action.

“It will not pass,” he said. “Everyone’s turn will come.”

For days before the court hearing on Thursday, international organizations and even some of Egypt’s allies, including the United States, Britain and Germany, warned about the escalating crackdown by the government.

On Wednesday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, condemned the government’s pursuit of civil society groups, saying it serves to “stifle the voices of those who advocate for the victims.”

Mr. Bahgat, one of the defendants, said shortly before his hearing that he was not optimistic about the outcome and believed the asset freeze was a precursor to more serious criminal charges. “I think the current regime is very aware of the drop in domestic approval and of the loss of international support, and they are convinced we are to blame,” he said.

The international pressure may have affected the outcome of the hearing. In an unusual request, it was the prosecutor, rather than defense lawyers, who asked to delay the hearing without a ruling.